No, not that video of his high-volume, post-game ‘interview’ with sideline reporter Erin Andrews. That was less Sherman being Sherman than it was a football player being a football player. Especially in the immediate aftermath of winning an NFL conference championship; especially one in which he made the key play.

That was just an intense competitor surfing on testosterone and the adrenalin rush that comes with qualifying for the Super Bowl. He was, in short, a bit of a blowtorch at that moment, a failure of emotional control. But no harm, no foul.

Or, you may think it worthwhile to view a notorious video of Sherman talking trash to scabrous, Chicago-based sports columnist Skip Bayless, telling him “In my 24 years of life, I’m better at life than you are,” among other things.

Listen, Bayless is easy to dislike, so many viewers probably enjoyed that chunk of pop cultural history immensely. Finally, Bayless getting his.

In the aftermath of a violent, dramatic NFC Championship game, Sherman provided easy material for those with a yen to write lyrically about the savagery of pro football, or to indulge in instant pop sociology about a talented defensive back who grew up in L.A.’s tough Compton neighbourhood.

But if you really want to get a handle on Richard Sherman, football player, an excellent introduction is an NFL Films video called Student of the Game. (http://bit.ly/1fawge1)

It’s a nine-minute cornerback tutorial, and Sherman is riveting as he explains some of the elements of his All-Pro game. This is a craftsman so dedicated to the successful application of his skill set that he elevates his play to the level of art.

With respect to the many who have suggested Sherman running his mouth about San Francisco receiver Michael Crabtree to Andrews after the NFC Championship game was refreshing candour, a welcome departure from clichés, the Sherman narrating this video has clearly become brilliant the old-fashioned way — through hard work, day-after-day.

“You can’t be out there partying and think you’re going to be the best,” he says at one point, delivering a cliché that happens to be true. “It takes discipline on and off the field.”

Sherman is a film-study fiend, for one thing, who has loaded is iPad with game tape to he can hang out at home and watch film all day long, if need be. A total professional, in other words.

“I feel like I’m a decent athlete, but my tape study and my meticulous attention to detail are what make me a good ballplayer,” Sherman says.

A Stanford University alumnus, Sherman was worked out at wide receiver by half the NFL teams in his draft year, he says, a recognition of his all-around ability, but also of his knowledge of the game on both sides of the ball.

That understanding is crucial to his preparation as he tries to get inside the heads of the quarterbacks and receivers he’s trying to shut down.

Cornerback Richard Sherman #25 of the Seattle Seahawks tips the ball up in the air as outside linebacker Malcolm Smith #53 catches it to clinch the victory for the Seahawks against the San Francisco 49ers during the 2014 NFC Championship in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)

After the Seahawks beat the 49ers, Sherman loudly proclaimed himself the best cornerback in the NFL, and not for the first time. Like boxers, 100-metre sprinters and many other male athletes, trash talk is part of the gig for Sherman, which may be of great interest to some.

To me this seems like superficial posturing, bravado in a world where opponents are looking for a weakness — any weakness — to exploit.

Sherman’s real search for his opponents’ weaknesses all happens in the solitude of film study. He perfects it on the practice field, where the video shows him being something of an on-field assistant coach to his fellow defensive backs, who seem more than a little in awe of his technical knowledge.

In the video, he says the notion that quarterbacks don’t throw to the side where the best cornerbacks are positioned is both a myth and bad for business.

“The best corners get picks,” says Sherman, who has 20 in his three-year NFL career, including eight the last two regular seasons. “They get picks because they bait quarterbacks into throwing to their side.”

Then he demonstrates how a gifted, detailed cornerback, one whose preparation enables him to accurately read and react to the formation the offence is deploying, will cheat inside, for example, knowing the quarterback is going to throw the ball outside. Like a goalie cheating to the stick side, hoping the shooter is foolish enough to test his glove hand.

He also talks about plays in which he deliberately tries to tip the ball to a teammate, rather than try for an interception, precisely the type of play that decided the NFC Championship game on Sunday.

Cornerback Richard Sherman #25 of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates with the George Halas Trophy after the Seahawks defeat the San Francisco 49ers 23-17 in the 2014 NFC Championship at CenturyLink Field on January 19, 2014 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)

Sherman will be one of the main characters in the drama leading up to the Super Bowl at the on Feb. 2. And why not? This game pits the Seahawks No. 1 NFL defence against Denver’s Peyton Manning, who set NFL records by throwing for 5,477 yards and 55 touchdown passes.

Sherman may well say something provocative on media day at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. He will get ample opportunity, without a doubt.

For his part, Manning is always media friendly, albeit in a more conventional fashion.

I’m less interested in the superficial Super Bowl preamble than in what Sherman will be studying on that iPad of his as he tries to parse the pass patterns run by Manning’s receivers, Eric Decker, Demaryius and Julius Thomas and Wes Welker, tries to get inside their heads.

I don’t know whether Manning uses an iPad to prepare for games, but his own approach to his craft is at least as meticulous as Sherman’s.

This is a dream matchup of the NFL’s best defence trying to throttle its most explosive offence. So, by all means watch that Student of the Game video and listen to Sherman talk about his craft.

Now close your eyes and visualize Manning going through all of his elaborate his pre-snap machinations, uttering all kinds of code words, including, of course, ‘Omaha!’

This could be one helluva Super Bowl.

]]>http://o.canada.com/sports/behind-bombast-seattles-sherman-is-a-defensive-craftsman/feed0NFC Championship - San Francisco 49ers v Seattle Seahawkspostmedianews1 Cornerback Richard Sherman #25 of the Seattle Seahawks tips the ball up in the air as outside linebacker Malcolm Smith #53 catches it to clinch the victory for the Seahawks against the San Francisco 49ers during the 2014 NFC Championship in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)Cornerback Richard Sherman #25 of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates with the George Halas Trophy after the Seahawks defeat the San Francisco 49ers 23-17 in the 2014 NFC Championship at CenturyLink Field on January 19, 2014 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)Drake becomes the new face of the Toronto Raptorshttp://o.canada.com/entertainment/music/drake-becomes-the-face-of-the-toronto-raptors
http://o.canada.com/entertainment/music/drake-becomes-the-face-of-the-toronto-raptors#commentsMon, 30 Sep 2013 03:20:18 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=320093]]>The Toronto Raptors and Drake will be teaming up together to give Canada’s lone NBA franchise a much-needed makeover.

The team announced that the rapper will serve as their Global Ambassador during their official press conference for the 2016 NBA All-Star Game. He will also launch a clothing line associated with the team and will oversee a redesign of the franchise’s brand. There will be new colours and a new logo, but they won’t be changing their name to anything like the Toronto Huskies.

“I love this city with all my heart. I am extremely excited to be a part of the team I grew up with,” Drake said.

This partnership will be similar to the one between Jay-Z and the Brooklyn Nets when they moved to Brooklyn from New Jersey. The Nets were a boring franchise, and really an afterthought in the NBA (sort of like the present-day Raptors) before their move to the New York area. Jay-Z completely helped re-design their brand, which looks night-and-day compared to what they had before, and the Raptors hope that Drake can accomplish the same feat in Toronto.

Drake, who has admitted to being a Raptors fan to the death, said that his goal is to build up the Toronto Raptors during his appearance on ESPN’s First Take with Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless. It might have been the first time the Raptors were mentioned on that show. It starts at the 4:26 mark.

Drake also has a lot of relationships with athletes and the players seem to love him. Raptors big man (and their on-court/off-court rating leader) Amir Johnson recently bought out every copy of Drake’s albums at Best Buy and Future Shop at Toronto’s Yonge and Dundas square.

Detroit Pistons’ guard Brandon Jennings (no ties to Toronto) is a huge Drake fanboy, loves the city of Toronto, and surprisingly, is a fan of their sports teams. He recently played for Team OVO at the OVO Bounce Basketball Tournament in Toronto this summer.

Maybe Jennings will demand a trade to Toronto (which would be a first). Raptors current starting point guard, Kyle Lowry, will be a free agent after this season.

NBA players also loved Drake’s third album release, titled “Nothing Was the Same“. Here are some of their reactions:

champagnepapi "NWTS". Congrats fam with this project. I know how much work u put into it and to see it… http://t.co/Z8AGB9SGYD

As sad as this might sound, Drake is now the most recognizable face of the franchise to the general public. Usually that title is reserved for the team’s best player, but forward Rudy Gay is known more for his contract than his play on the court.

RELATED LINKS

Toronto Raptors’ attempts to rebrand through Drake, All-Star Game just window dressing if they do not win (o.canada.com)

Drake giveaway brings out hundreds in Toronto, New York and LA (o.canada.com)

New Drake album leaks, listen to Nothing Was The Same now (o.canada.com)

]]>http://o.canada.com/entertainment/music/drake-becomes-the-face-of-the-toronto-raptors/feed5Masai Uriji; Drake; Tim LeiwekehasanalanamJeremy Lin made the right decisionhttp://o.canada.com/sports/jeremy-lin-made-the-right-decision
http://o.canada.com/sports/jeremy-lin-made-the-right-decision#commentsThu, 10 May 2012 03:03:58 +0000http://blogs.canada.com/?p=52459]]>The New York Knicks went into Miami as heavy underdogs and as expected, they were no match for the Heat. The Knicks have already lost Iman Shumpert and Baron Davis to gruesome injuries, leaving them very thin at the point guard position. They had to rely on Mike Bibby, or what is left of his NBA career, and that obviously didn’t get it done.

Last week, Jeremy Lin held out hope that he could possibly return for Game 5 if his knee returned to 100 percent. His knee hasn’t healed as fast as he would have hoped, so he decided to sit this out one. His decision sit out was not only supported by teammates, including both Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire, but also Dwyane Wade.

“Obviously every player is different, but I think with a player like him who has a bright future, even though he can probably get out there and play, he’s not going to be as effective as he wants to be and he might do further damage,” he said. “I thought that (Mike Woodson) did a great job saying he wasn’t ready. Us as players, we always feel we’re ready. We’re ready to be on the court and working out. We feel like, ‘Man, I might as well go out there and play if I’m going to do all this.’ But I thought Woody did a good job of kind of protecting his future, in the sense, with Lin.” ESPN

Of course that decision was met with loads of criticism from the fans and the media, including Frank Isola of the New York Daily News.

ESPN personalities such as Skip Bayless and Stephen A Smith also felt that Lin could have at least contributed 15-20 minutes this game. I guess they don’t remember his performance against the Heat this season.

So should Jeremy Lin have played in Game 5?

Often times, athletes just aggravate their injuries when they prematurely return to the court. There are numerous examples of this, with Derrick Rose being the most recent example. Then there is the example of Brandon Roy being forced into early retirement and his teammate, Greg Oden, whose knee condition worsened after he returned to practice against better judgement.

Grant Hill could have continued his Hall of Fame career had he sat out the first round series against the Miami Heat during the 2000 playoffs. He injured his ankle seven days before the start of the playoffs, but continued to play through the injury. He would never regain his pre-injury form.

Considering all of these examples, it is safe to say that Jeremy Lin has made the best decision because he still has his entire career ahead of him. There was no reason for him to come back and risk further injury for a game the Knicks had no shot at winning.

]]>http://o.canada.com/sports/jeremy-lin-made-the-right-decision/feed0hasanalanamRoad to the Final Four: Celebrity and Expert pickshttp://o.canada.com/sports/road-to-the-final-four-celebrity-and-expert-picks
http://o.canada.com/sports/road-to-the-final-four-celebrity-and-expert-picks#commentsTue, 13 Mar 2012 22:38:31 +0000http://blogs.canada.com/?p=38390]]>Bracketology isn’t just limited to sports fans and those looking to make a quick buck. It is a yearly event that everyone takes part in, including the President of the United States, who is running his own challenge as a pre-election campaign.

The stacked Kentucky roster looks to be everyone’s pick t win it all this year. They have the best player in college basketball and possibly two of the first three selections in upcoming 2012 NBA draft. Not to mention they have bench boss in John Calipari that has already been to the Final Four.

Many celebrities and experts have already filled out their brackets. Here is your chance to see how you match up against them. Click here to join.